There are a variety of objects that are supported in an upright position during use. In order to support them in an upright position a support stand is used. The objects being supported can take the form of a variety of vertical members. Some examples of such vertical members are poles or standards bearing banners, flags, signs, etc. The number of potential applications for such vertical member support stands is almost infinite.
Most vertical member support stands can effectively hold and support a vertical member that is substantially symmetrical. When the vertical member is not symmetrical, however, there is a danger that one of the pressure members will release it's grip resulting in a rapid and violent falling of the vertical member.
The most common example of a vertical member support stand that must support an asymmetrical member is a tree stand. The tree stand is used to support a tree in an upright position after its root system has been severed. The most common use of a tree stand is to support Christmas Trees during the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The trunks of trees are not perfectly cylindrical, they are therefore very difficult to firmly grasp. Furthermore, the branches of the tree do not extend radially in a perfectly symmetrical fashion. This results in an uneven weight distribution leading to a marked tendency for the tree to lean in a particular direction.